A. Help your job or
career prospects. If you are applying
for a job or seeking a promotion, the employer may run a background check on
you. If you have a criminal record that
will be revealed, that may factor into the employer’s decision. If you obtain an expungement, such as the
kind under California Penal Code Section 1203.4, that record will no longer be
visible to employers and they may not legally ask you to disclose an expunged
criminal record.*
The California Labor Code (section 432.7) states that
"No employer, ..., shall ask an applicant for employment to disclose, ...,
information concerning an arrest or detention that did not result in
conviction…"
B. Legal
Dismissal. What actually happens in a
P.C. 1203.4 expungement is the court first sets aside your conviction (if you
were found guilty at trial) or lets you withdraw your plea (if you plead before
trial). Then, the court will dismiss the
original charges. This means that
legally, you were not convicted and the charges were officially dismissed.
C. Closure and Emotional Relief. For some people who have learned from their past mistakes and moved past that episode in their life, an expungement may provide emotional relief. For those people, obtaining a legal dismissal of their past criminal conviction is worthwhile in of itself.
*Your situation may vary, so call and we will review your specific case facts to see what type of expungement relief you are eligible for.